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Latest Developments Under the FMLA

There is some very interesting news in the world of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)! The Family and Medical Leave Act is a federal law enacted by President Clinton that entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if they had not taken leave. Some examples of the reasons for permissible leave include exigency leave and military caregiver leave for families of military service members, caring for a newborn or recently adopted child or a family member with a serious health condition, or an employee’s own serious health condition.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently released an updated version of its FMLA Advisor. The FMLA Advisor has been updated to reflect the expansions of FMLA protections that became effective on March 8, 2013. The Family and Medical Leave Act was amended to provide families of eligible veterans with the same job-protected FMLA leave currently available to families of military service members and allow more military families to take leave for activities that arise when a service member is deployed. The expansions also address the application of the FMLA to airline personnel and flight crews. Due to the amendment, employers should ensure that their FMLA policies are up to date and encompass all of the changes to the Act.